Base-ball mask.



G. H. BIDLON.

. BASE BALL MASK.

APPLICATION FILED oor.2e,19o1.

PATENTBD MAR. 17, 1908.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Z J F l/V/T/VESSES //v l E/V 7-475 nu: mamas versus 00.. WASHINGTON. nc.

No 881,957. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908'.

G. H. RIIDLON.

v BASE B ALL MASK. APPLICATION FILED 001261901.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WTNESSES //v l/E/V 70/? MMQZM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. RIDLON, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM READ &SONS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A FIRM.

BASE-BALL MASK.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed October 26, 1907. Serial No. 399,347.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. RIDLON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Revere, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball Masks;and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improvement in base-ball masks.

The base-bJl catcher, when the position of the sun is such as to strikein his eyes, puts on his cap underneath the mask. In order to get thecap vizor in the correct position, some care has to be exercised, andeach time the mask is put on this adjustment is necessary. It has beenproposed to provide a base-ball mask with a sun-shade, but the object ofthe present invention is to provide a base-ball mask with a sun-shadewhich can be drawn down into shading position or moved back out of theway at the will of the wearer. Another object is to provide means formoving the vizor to inoperative position without requiring anything buta releasing movement. To the above ends the present invention consistsin the base-b all mask hereinafter described and particularly defined inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Figure l is aside elevation of the upper portion of a base-ball mask; and Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is described as follows :The mask itself is of the usual construction except in the followingparticulars relating to the sun-shade and the means for supporting it onthe mask.

The sun-shade 1 consists of a piece of leather or other suitable lightimpervious material, shaped in the form of a vizor. Upon the lower frontedge of the vizor is secured a hook 2 shown as bifurcated to straddlethe medialwire of the mask and to engage the upper eye wire 3. This hookcomprises the means for holding the shade in operative position. Securedto the shade over the hook is a tab 4 which the wearer will grasp topull down the shade or to release the hook to raise the shade.

To the center of the upper edge of the shade is secured a strap 5 whichextends back to a spring reel 6 mounted upon the upper wires of themask. The spring reel is so constructed as to wind up the strap when thehook 2 is released from the eye wire 3 and to hold the shade raised.Then the shade is pulled down the spring is wound up by the unwinding ofthe strap and the pull which it exerts upon the strap holds the hook 2engaged with the eye wire 3. Any form of spring device normally actingon the shade to tend to raise it and to hold it in raised position iswithin the purview of my invention.

In order to con'line the movement of the shade, guard'wires 7 areprovided which are fastened at their lower'end to the eye wire 3 at somelittle distance from the medial wire. From this point these wires extendupwardly somewhat toward each other, where they are fastened together bya stay wire 8, thence the guard wires 7 diverge and extend upwardly tothe edge wire ol'- the mask, where they are secured. The guard wires arelocated a little distance from the outside of the mask and all'ord aspace between the mask and the guard wires in which the shade may bemoved.

This invent-ion is not limited to the particular embodiment illustratedin the drawings, but it may be embodied in other forms within the scopeof the following claims l. A base-ball mask provided with a sunshade,and means for securing the sun-shade in operative and inoperativeposition.

2. A base-ball mask provided with a sun shade, means for holding thesun-shade in operative position, and a spring contrivance normallytending to move the sun-shade to inoperative position.

3. A baseball mask provided with a sunshade, and means for movablysupporting the sun-shade so that it may be .held in operative orinoperative position.

4. A base-ball mask provided with a sunshade, guard wires secured to themask out side of the "frame for supporting the sunshade.

5. A baseball mask provided with a sun shade movable from operative toinoperative position, and a spring device connected with the sun-shadeto hold it in one position.

6. A base-ball mask provided with a sun- 5 shade and a springcontrivance normally tending to move the sun-shade to inoperativeposition.

in testimony Whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEO. H. RIDLON.

Witnesses HORACE VAN EVEREN, ANNIE C. RICHARDSON,

